Deadline near for life-changing experience
Students On Ice 2017 has two scholarships for Inuvialuit youth
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Thursday, March 9, 2017
INUVIK
The deadline for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is fast approaching.
Participants in the 2016 Students On Ice expedition gather for a photo. This year's expedition offers two scholarships for Inuvialuit youth. - Martin Lipman/SOI Foundation
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Students On Ice 2017 will be taking 120 youth from across Canada and around the world on a two-week journey exploring Canada's High Arctic and Western Greenland this summer.
The deadline to apply for this year's trip is March 20.
"I think it's really worth it for youth to apply for Students On Ice because it's not just a 12-day expedition where they get to meet like-minded youth from all over the world and make friendships that will last a lifetime, but it will open up many doors for youth," said Caitlyn Baike, Arctic youth and partnerships manager.
"Our target age is 14-18 and that's a timeframe where youth are very impressionable and are looking for what to do next after high school."
Participants will have jam-packed days filled with education and excursions while on the trip.
A team of scientists, elders, artists, explorers and more will lead the youth in a conversation about connection to land, culture and the Arctic.
Davonna Kasook is an alumni of the program. She called it a life-changing experience.
"It sparked my interest in pursuing a career in environmental science, which I am now studying here at Aurora College," said Kasook.
"Having the experience of the educational programs I attended on the expedition I believe was a huge asset in getting accepted into this program."
She recommends all youth apply for the expedition, not only for the experience of seeing different parts of the world, but for the educational aspect.
"It is definitely inspiring knowledge that you are gaining that will give you new perspectives on the circumpolar world and what you can do to be a part of conserving it," said Kasook.
Baike said there will be workshops on art, wildlife, stories from biologists and historians, conversations with politicians, community leaders and much more.
"You name it and we'll probably be talking about it," she said. "Every day they will have a different itinerary."
The program has been running for 17 years. A new opportunity this year available to Inuvialuit youth is a pre-program at Nunavut Sivuniksavut in Ottawa before the expedition.
"We will gather all of our Northern participants from Alaska, the four Inuit regions in Canada and Greenland together at NS, where students will get a taste of what life is like on that campus and learn about differences and similarities in Inuit culture all around the world," said Baike.
From there, the group will travel to the ship in Resolute Bay, Nunavut, and begin the expedition, which will end in Greenland.
Two scholarships for Inuvialuit youth are available this year, but other scholarships for youth also exist.
"Participating in Students On Ice really helps students get hands-on experience in all these different fields and it helps them choose that path for the rest of their life and leaves them with connections to help inspire them as they take their journey into their life," said Baike.
